Conventional access to back-end content provider information has been via a desktop computer connected to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) via a telephone line (either POTS or ISDN) or via a cable modem or other specialized wire-line media. Using such an arrangement, a user can, once connected to their ISP, access the World Wide Web (WWW) to request and display web pages and from these web pages further request and receive information (news, financial data, entertainment, weather, directions (maps), traffic, etc.) or actually order products and services (food, clothing, computers, household items, etc.). These products, services and information are provided by back-end content providers. There may or may not be a charge to connect to the web pages containing the information provided by the back-end service providers. News services such as Reuters may charge a fee in order to access the information that they provide. Other content providers do not charge but are hopeful that a user will purchase their products or services. Such an arrangement lacks mobility and portability.
FM radio stations broadcast audio signals that contain music, weather, traffic information, sports scores, news, advertising etc. Additionally, FM radio stations have an auxiliary or secondary digital sub-channel available that is used to broadcast a bit stream within the 87.5-108 MHz frequency band. This Radio Data Stream (RDS) data is silently delivered at a rate of approximately 1200-2400 bits per second (bps). Originally developed in Europe, RDS currently enables radio listeners to see the name of the radio station displayed, email addresses or phone numbers, have their clocks synchronized etc. on a relatively small alphanumeric display. This same display is used in vehicles to indicate whether the listener is listening to a cassette tape, a CD (number, track, play time, etc.) FM radio, AM radio, phone mute etc.
A traditional FM radio program or an advertisement during an FM radio broadcast is used to promote information to the audience. This information can be sent in the RDS, including e.g., a Web link, an email address, a phone number or other means to interact with another repository for further information or to procure products or services. This suffers from limitations of its own, such as the relatively small screen size that limits the applications. The screen size is for all practical purposes too small to display a Web site Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or a listing of URLs. Further, to date the means to use the information provided by an RDS data stream has been manual. That is, the user needed to memorize the fleeting information or write it down and manually connect to the corresponding services including mobile internet services. This makes the communication slow and cumbersome. If there is a substantial time delay, the content may lose its significance. For example, at some point in time and travel, it may be too late to select an alternative route in the event of a traffic problem based on preliminary information received from an RDS data stream. A time delay may cause the listener to lose an opportunity to order something that was offered for a limited time. That is, because of the time lag, the interaction with the corresponding services or mobile internet services does not take place and subsequently the service is not used and both the listener and the offeror lose the opportunity.